Switch boxes or rail boxes are used in many different applications of railway layouts. The boxes are used to house various components including, but not limited to, switches, frogs, retaining rails, and other special tracks. Some boxes have a plurality of openings that allow one or more rails to pass through or be located in a portion of the box. Some boxes have drains located in a bottom of the box to allow water to exit the box.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,421 relates to a rail finder for railroad bridges reportedly compactly and uniquely designed to minimize false signals and decrease replacement and maintenance costs. A weighted lever mounted on switch-box rotatable shaft that is perpendicularly disposed with respect to the rail has an offset portion directly engagable by a horizontal plate mounted on the inner surface of a rail on a bridge. The plate holds the lever in a horizontal position in the down position of the bridge. When the bridge raises, the weighted lever follows the plate and rotates the switch box shaft to where cams move switchable elements from a set of contacts. The contacts of the set are in circuit with green lights permitting train passage when the cams are out of contact with the switchable elements. The compact arrangements reportedly allow a pair of rail finders to be mounted side-by-side within the gauge and thus out of the path of loose or low third-rail shoes of electrically powered trains.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,565 relates to a railway crossing, sometimes referred to as a diamond crossing, which has four substantially identical crossing beams which have cutouts made for a wide range of crossing angles. At least two separate base plates are cut to fit the required crossing angle and positioned beneath the crossing beams. Each crossing beam has a flangeway groove extending along at least a portion of the beam length and each beam has integral rail shaped ends for connection to a standard rail section. The crossing beams have top cutouts and bottom cutouts that intersect and are set for a predetermined crossing angle. Boltless locator pins prevent horizontal movement of the top and bottom beams on the plates, and elastic fasteners hold the top and bottom beams to the plates to restrict vertical movement between the top and bottom beams and the plates.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,511,024 relates to a switch box for railway, tramway, points or similar, of the so-called English type, i.e., having four or more blades comprising a drive unit of the transfer motion of the blades of the switch, and at least one group of linear transmission of the drive motion to the blades, movable means to lock the blades in their respective position of closure. According to the invention, the said groups are housed in a box which reportedly has substantially the dimensions and the shape of a sleeper and that is reportedly fitted in the track in place of and with the function of a sleeper.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,185,860 relates to a modular tongue switch assembly comprising a tongue pivotally connected to a slide surface held down by a pivot retainer. The slide surface consists of slide plate sections removably attached to corresponding bed plate sections, which are in turn welded onto a base plate. Floating brace blocks hold a non-integral stock rail in place on the base plate. When the tongue moves, a horizontal lever arm actuates an inner box assembly housed within an outer box and containing the conductor rail, reportedly allowing the passing train to maintain contact with the conductor rail, if necessary. A rodding and lever arrangement is used.
International Publication No. WO 03/076721 relates to a switch box comprising switch bed plates fixed on a base, two pairs of switches connected with the rails connecting the main and the side railways, a movable frog, rail latches and drives. Characterized in that the frog has a U-like configuration, guide grooves are made in the switch bed-plates. In the grooves, the rail latches and cover plates of the rail are mounted being set on a switch base and connected with one another by means of traction. The switches are connected stiffly or are made unit-cast and the shape of each corresponds to the curvature of the railway, whereas the switches and the frog have obtuse ends and are capable of turning on the vertical axes fixed on the plate between the rails.
In view of the above, a need still exists in the art for a system that can be utilized to seal a switch or earth box where the rail enters or exits the box in order to reduce or eliminate the amount of stray electric current that leaves the box. Furthermore, at the exit and entry points to a switch or earth box, a need exists to seal around rubber lined rail, polyurethane coated rail, and rail insulated with a thermoplastic elastomer or rubber boot.